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A Layer of Defense watching the Sky

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Soldiers from the 94th Army Air Missile Defense Command, attached to the 613th Air Operations Center Pacific Air Forces, track a ballistic missile that was launched from North Korea, Sept 14, 2017 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. (U.S Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Perry Aston)

A Layer of Defense watching the Sky

With a constant threat of ballistic missile launches by North Korea, the Army maintains forward Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance Systems, or (AN/TPY-2 ) on mainland Japan to keep a watchful eye above the skies scanning for threats.

The responsibility in keeping a watchful eye falls to a small group of Soldiers stationed in remote areas at Kyogamisaki, and Shariki, Japan. The location of the two radar sites are unique in that it provides regional defense for Japan while also significantly improving the defense of the United States.

The Soldiers in these units operate high resolution, phased array, X-band radars designed and built specifically for the U.S. missile defense missions. The radars can perform air surveillance to very high altitudes, identify and track aerial targets including incoming ballistic missiles. The radar also has the ability to differentiate between warheads or space debris.

The 10th Missile Defense Battery located at the Shariki Communications Site in Shariki have been operational since 2006. This was the first AN/TPY-2 Radar installation in Japan and also the first new U.S. military installation to open there since the end of World War II.

The AN/TPY-2 radar is integrated with the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or (THAAD) system, and serves as its primary sensor. The radar' mission is to track the late stages of the missile course enabling the THAAD’s capability to intercept both outside the atmosphere and once a reentry vehicle enters the atmosphere.

The 14th Missile Defense Battery is the newest radar unit located at the Kyogamisaki Communications Site and has been operational since October 2014. Since then, both units have been in the constant watch with recent events in the Korean peninsula.

Their mission is to pass highly accurate missile track data to sensor managers in the Air and Space Operations Center, located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii and sensor mangers throughout the United States.

“We provide the strategic level early warning for all ballistic missiles launched from North Korea that have the potential to impact the United States homeland,” said 1st Lt. Seth Bond. 14th Missile Defense Battery executive officer.

The information received by the AN/TPY-2 radar is critical data.

Both units also works closely with the 100th Missile Defense Brigade based in Colorado Springs, Colorado feeding data and cueing various radar sensors throughout US Army Strategic Command and PACOM.

Data collected and shared with joint and allies, provides early warning and detection of hostile mis¬sile launches as part of the United States Pacific Command missile early warning architecture and greatly enhances the defense of U.S. Pacific Command assets and the continental United States.

“This information cues the various sensors located throughout the Pacific to ensure any intercept vehicle will accurately engage the warhead,” he added.

Once a detection of a possible threat has been detected, either through space based, naval, or elevated sensors, Soldiers from the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command can either engage the threat or, if capable, pass the engagement to an assets that is able to range the target.

“The 14th MDB has successfully tracked and processed all ballistic missile launches originating from North Korea,” said Bond. “The unit is extremely efficient and we provide updates to entities across USARJ, PACOM, STRATCOM and NORTHCOM.”

With the increase of threats from North Korea the Soldiers from the 10th MDB and 14th MDB remain focus as being our nations “First Line of Defense.”